The Toronto Raptors have steadied their season with back-to-back victories, and tonight’s matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers will be another good test for Nick Nurse’s men.
With Pascal Siakam playing at an All-NBA level, the Raptors snapped a six-game losing streak last week, but this contest tips off an important three-game homestand that could yet determine how active Toronto will be at the trade deadline.
The Clippers remain among the league’s top teams when fully healthy, but they needed a dramatic fourth-quarter rally against the Detroit Pistons last night before sealing a 142-131 overtime win.
Check out our free NBA picks and predictions for the lowdown on tonight’s matchup.
Clippers vs Raptors best odds
Clippers vs Raptors picks and predictions
With a monster contract extension on the horizon, Fred VanVleet would surely be one of the names floating around in trade buzz if Toronto decided to jump into a full-blown rebuild. But he’s still the heartbeat of this Raptors team for as long as they stick with the current core.
It’s no coincidence that Toronto’s consecutive wins last week came with VanVleet shooting more efficiently. He made five of his 10 threes against the Cavaliers on Friday and scored 28 points against the New York Knicks to add to Pascal Siakam’s 52-point masterpiece at MSG.
VanVleet, an All-Star last season, should have the edge here in his battle with Reggie Jackson and John Wall, attacking off the dribble and collapsing the defense. The Raptors have enough talented wings to occupy Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, so VanVleet shouldn’t see too many traps or double teams.
Plus, the Raptors should be the fresher team. They haven’t played since Friday — a major boost for VanVleet, who has logged major minutes again this season — while the Clippers needed overtime last night to get past the Pistons, with George playing 38 minutes.
I like VanVleet to dominate at home against a weary Clippers defense, combining his scoring and playmaking to cash in this prop.
My best bet: Fred VanVleet Over 24.5 points and assists (-105 at PointsBet)
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Clippers vs Raptors spread analysis
It’s the time of year for making wishes — and no team has more reason to wish for good health than the Clippers. At full strength, this is a Finals contender, as they showed in pushing the Philadelphia 76ers to the limit on Friday, but Ty Lue has so rarely had all of his top weapons available this season.
There’s a chance that Lue will have Leonard back tonight after he sat out in Detroit, and that positions the Clippers to counter Toronto’s wing strength. Leonard, returning to the city where he delivered a championship, knows Siakam’s game inside and out, and that would be the game’s marquee matchup.
Yet the Raptors are 5-point favorites — a somewhat surprising line given Toronto’s tricky December. Nurse got balanced scoring from his team against the Cavaliers, with O.G. Anunoby and Scottie Barnes both stepping up to relieve some of the pressure from Siakam’s shoulders, but there are still questions to be answered defensively for the hosts.
The Clippers have covered the spread in their last four games against teams with a losing record, but they’ve had their share of struggles in Toronto. Los Angeles is just 5-12 ATS over the past 17 trips to Canada.
Clippers vs Raptors Over/Under analysis
Both offenses should be rolling tonight, especially if Leonard plays, and we could be in for a high-scoring thriller. Even without The Klaw, Los Angeles scored 143 points last night (powered by George’s 32), while Toronto had three players with 25 or more points in Friday’s win in Cleveland.
The Over has hit in the Clippers’ last five road games against a team with a home winning record greater than .600. The visitors’ 3-point shooting will generally keep them in games (and keep the Over in play) — they’re knocking down 37% of their triples this season and have attempted over 40 threes in two of their last three games.
Likewise, the Over has been a successful play with the Raptors, cashing in their last four home games and five of six overall.
Malachi Flynn’s emergence as a reliable lead guard for the second unit has been a key ingredient in Toronto’s improved form, while Nurse’s willingness to lean heavily on main men Siakam and VanVleet (and a short rotation) keeps scores trending towards the Over.
Clippers vs Raptors betting trend to know
Count on the Los Angeles offense to show up at Scotiabank Arena, just as it has on the team’s travels for much of the season. The Over has been the right call in 10 of the Clippers’ last 11 road games. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Raptors.
Clippers vs Raptors game info
| Location: | Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON |
| Date: | Tuesday, December 27, 2022 |
| Tip-off: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Bally Sports Southern California, Sportsnet |
Clippers vs Raptors key injuries
